Zelensky: "I believe Trump wants and can bring peace."

"The first is impossible without the second. Because this is not a street brawl where you need to calm down two sides," said Zelensky. "This is a full-scale aggression of a mad state against a civilized one. And I believe that together with the United States, we have the strength to compel Russia to a just peace."

At the same time, according to Zelensky, "a truly just peace cannot come based on the principle of 'starting with a clean slate'." "Because the score is not 0:0. The account holds thousands, thousands of Ukrainians whose lives were taken by Russia," the president stated, addressing the Ukrainian people on the eve of the New Year.

Zelensky noted that the United States has been with Ukraine since the very first moments of the conflict and expressed hope that they will be with it "in the first moments of peace."

The elected U.S. president Trump stated in December during a major interview with NBC that he is "actively working" to put an end to the war in Ukraine. Trump also suggested that Ukraine is unlikely to receive military aid from the U.S. at the same level as during Joe Biden's administration once he takes office. Earlier, Trump called for immediate peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, noting that both countries have lost hundreds of thousands of people in the conflict. Before his election victory, Trump promised to end the war in Ukraine, as he said, "in 24 hours," and even before his inauguration in January, but did not provide any details.

Both Kyiv and Moscow emphasize their commitment to peace, yet they present diametrically opposed demands. Kyiv is not willing to give up the territories seized by Russia for the sake of a peace agreement, as Moscow demands.

Recently, the British publication Financial Times speculated in its forecasts for 2025 that a peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine is possible, but it will require significant pressure from the United States, including intensified sanctions. The authors suggest that Kyiv may agree to some territorial concessions in exchange for security guarantees.